Chad Kelly accused of harassment in wrongful dismissal lawsuit: Report

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A woman who worked as a strength and conditioning coach for the Toronto Argonauts is suing the CFL team for wrongful dismissal, saying the team’s star quarterback Chad Kelly allegedly harassed her and that the team fired her after she rejected his advances, according to a report from TSN.

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The unnamed coach, who worked for the Argos from 2018 through to last month, filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in Ontario Superior Court in Toronto, TSN’s Rick Westhead reported late Thursday afternoon.

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The female staffer is suing Kelly, 29, for $50,000 for allegedly violating the Ontario Human Rights Code. She is additionally suing the Argos for $85,714, claiming wrongful dismissal, TSN reported.

In the lawsuit, the coach said the Argos allegedly condoned the harassment and a toxic work environment. Additionally, the claim said the team allegedly breached the CFL violence-against-women policy by not submitting an incident report to the league’s head office, the report said.

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“(The plaintiff) reported the harassment she was experiencing from Chad to her superiors,” the coach’s lawsuit said, according to TSN. “(The) Argonauts failed to address (her) legitimate concerns and then terminated her employment.”

Kelly is the league’s highest-paid player and the reigning most outstanding player. The Buffalo, N.Y., native and nephew of former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly signed a three-year contract extension with Toronto in August for a reported $1.865 million.

The allegations against Kelly and the Argos have not been tested in court.

Neither Kelly nor the franchise had filed a response, TSN reported.

“The club is aware of a legal claim made by a former employee against the team and Mr. Kelly,” Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment spokesperson Dave Haggith told TSN in a statement. “The organization will not comment on private personnel matters or ongoing litigation but is steadfast in its commitment to providing a safe and inclusive work environment.”

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According to TSN, the lawsuit includes allegations that throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Kelly “repeatedly sought to initiate romantic connections … by asking (her) out on numerous occasions. Despite (her) polite refusals, Chad persisted in his advances, displaying a pattern of behaviour that raised concerns.”

She said the quarterback’s alleged harassment escalated in November 2023.

“A member of the Argonauts informed (her) that on Nov. 5, 2023, while on the team bus, (Kelly) publicly accused (her) of engaging in romantic relations with another team member,” the lawsuit said.

The coach said she confronted Kelly in private on Nov. 26, 2023.

“Instead of addressing the concerns, Chad reacted with aggression, screaming, cursing and waving his hands at (her),” the lawsuit said, adding that he later yelled derogatory words at her from across a room.

According to TSN, she wrote in her lawsuit that she informed her superiors about the alleged incidents, but was told she shouldn’t have spoken to Kelly and had opened a “can of worms that didn’t need to be opened.”

The coach said she was informed on Jan. 29 that her contract would not be renewed.

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